Banner

Latest news

Walking and talking in a calming outside environment offers the client a space to feel relaxed and mindful. Not all clients feel comfortable talking in a counseling room, some appreciate being outside and connecting with nature, surrounding colours and fresh air.

Walking and talking therapy is when the client and therapist walk together and connect with nature, whilst walking together the client is encouraged to share their struggles and life situations. Walking and talking encourages healthy activity, and according to research can make significant positive differences to anxiety and stress.

Your first session will take place in a counselling room where you will discuss issues of confidentiality and how you will negotiate encountering other people when out walking. It is important to remember that people walking and talking side by side is a very common sight and therefore a client and therapist walking side by side doesn't look any different.

Walking improves physical health and mental health

People who said they were mindful during exercise were more satisfied with their workouts than those who said they were not, a Dutch study found. The researchers say being mentally present helps people become more accepting of negative experiences.

Numerous studies have reported that mindfulness can reduce stress, so try turning your stroll into a walking meditation to melt anxiety away and remove negative thought patterns that interfere with your day.

Why choose Walk and Talk Therapy?

Walk and Talk Therapy gets you outside and moving.

Walk and Talk Therapy takes place outside as being close to nature can be meditative and grounding. Grounding techniques are taught using the five senses and can help people who have experienced distress and trauma.

Walk and Talk Therapy is an excellent choice for clients experiencing a range of difficulties, some of those may include struggling with loss and grief, experiencing anxiety and intense worry, a life change, fear and panic, loneliness and much more.

Many clients have reported feeling happier as they give themselves permission to visualise leaving their difficulties behind and becoming more present. The counselor will offer mindfulness and visualisation exercises.

You do not need to be “super fit” to engage in walk and talk therapy, this is not a personal training session. The therapy will be at your own pace. Some people choose the therapy to be about meditation which can involve sitting by a river and focusing on the beautiful surroundings, whereas others may choose a faster pace, where they feel the need to walk and talk.

Research studies have shown that physical activity can enhance the mental and physical health of clients. Physical activity has also been shown to reduce levels of depression and anxiety and can help to prevent depressive symptoms.

Walking and talking therapy helps to release tensions and stimulate new thoughts and ideas.

During a walk and talk therapy session, you lead the pace just like in a traditional counselling session. Yet the dynamic is fairly different. Client and counsellor are on the same footing, literally. They walk together side by side, for some people this can feel more comfortable. It can be an introduction to counselling, and can lead to a more formal form of counselling.

Even if you're confident talking face to face to a counsellor, you might become apprehensive when confronting particular issues. The combination of walking and fresh air allows for easier engagement and process, and you can feel more grounded as you're moving forward while walking.

Walk and talk therapy is also particularly helpful for people feeling they are trapped in a life or roles that don't fit for them anymore. Being outdoors and talking about their issues enhances the renewal of a sense of freedom. Walking helps increase the blood flow to the brain, and new ideas to tackle our issues are more likely to come up.

Buttons

Latest news20th Sep, 18

Walking and Talking for Better Wellbeing

Walking and talking in a calming outside environment offers the client a space to feel relaxed and mindful. Not all clients feel comfortable talking in a counseling room, some appreciate being outside and connecting with nature, surrounding colours and fresh air.